Core taking apparatus



Feb- 21, 14939 G. G. HARRINGTON CORE TAKING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 27, 193'? Patented Feb. 21, 1939 PATENT .v oFFlcEaA CORE TAKING APPARATUS George G. Harrington, Houston, Tex., assignor to Reed Roller Bit Company, Houston, Tex., a cory poration of Texas Application August 2v,

Claims.

This invention relates in general -to sample taking devices, and more particularly to a device for taking cores from the formation at the bottom of a well being drilled. The invention relates especially to an arrangement whereby the space adapted to receive the core as it is cut may be kept free from cutting sand other debris during the time it is being lowered into the well.

In the past, various arrangements Ihave been devised for receiving cores cut from the formation at the bottom of a well being drilled, and for removing such cores to the surface of the ground so that information regarding the nature of the formation may be obtained. Such devices have for the most part, however, been open at both ends during the time that they were being lowered into the well, so that mud or other liquid in the well could pass into and up through the core barrel as it was being lowered. This naturally caused a considerable accumulation within the core barrel of cuttings or other debris which might be suspended bythe liquid in the well. i

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to Y provideva sample taking device including a core barrel which may be lowered into a well without the passage therethrough of the liquid contained in the well, and consequently without the accumulation therein of cuttings and other debris which might be suspended in such liquid.

It is a further object to provide a device of the character set forth in which the core barrel may be lowered to core taking position withouttaking in matter which might contaminate or affect l the value of the core to be taken. It is afurther object to provide a means for retaining a core within a core barrel, and provide an arrangement whereby such means will be held in inactive position until the core is moved upwardly in the core barrel.

It is a further object to provide a device of the character set forth in which'the upper end of the core barrel will be normally closed during the time it is being lowered into a well, but which may b e then opened to permit upward flow.

through the core barrel during the taking of a core. Y

Withthe foregoing and other objects in view,

this invention contemplates the various parts and "combinations set forth in vthe accompanying drawing, and in thefollowing description, it being understood, however, that said drawing and description are by way of illustration and example only. and are not to be taken as in any 1937, Serial No. 161,184

(Cl. Z55-'12) way a limitation upon the scope of this invention. v e l Referring now to the drawing in which like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughy out:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in vertical cross section illustrating the valve structure at the upper end of a core barrel constructed in accordance-with this invention. f

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical cross section illusl0 trating a continuation of the lower portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross section taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

In connection with this invention there is 15 employed a core bit having a head I and outer and inner roller `cutters 2 and 3 which cut an annular opening and form the `core 4, The head I is provided with passageways 5 and 6 located in its walls for the purpose of conveying washing fluid to the cutters 2 and 3 just referred to. The bit is internally threaded at its upper end to receive the fitting l, this fitting being likewise internally threaded at its upper end t0 receive the drill collar 8. The joint between the member 1 and the drill collar 8 is preferably welded so as to in effect combine these members into one integral structure. I

vWithin the drill collar 8 is located the core barrel 9 upon the lower end of which is mounted 30 a fitting I0 having a slightly reduced internal diameter. A sleeve II having an internallyrtapered seat I2 at its lower end is threadedly secured upon the lower en d of the fitting I 0, the 'seat I2 being adapted to receive the lower por- 35 tions of the core catcher elements I3. These core catcher elements I3 are in the form loi' slips 'so designed that when they aremoved downwardly against the seat I2 they are caused to at the same time move inwardly in a radial direc- 40 tion and thus grip the core or whatever may be located within the core barrel.

In addition to the catcher elements I3 there are also provided a dierent form of catcher elements I 4, these being, in the form of sharpened fingers or knives pivoted at their lower ends I5. to the vertically slidable ring I E. The catcher elements I3 are likewise mounted on this ring by means of springs I1 which are secured to the elements I3 and to the ring I6. It will be noted 50 that the ring I6 is provided with openings and recesses for receiving the various core catcher elements to permit a full hole opening during upward motion of a core into the barrel. The teeth I8 on the elements I3 are inclined in an upward direction so as to permit free upward movement of a core and to catch and restrain any downward movement thereof.

In accordance with this invention, the core catcher elements just referred to are held in their retracted or inoperative position during the lowering of the core barrel into a well by means of a sleeve I9 which is slidably positioned Within the lower end of the fitting `Ii) and extends between the core catcher elements. 'I'his sleeve I9 may be in theform illustrated in Fig. 2. For the purpose of preventing any downward motion of the sleeve I9, beyond the position in which it is illustrated in Fig. 2, this sleeve is provided on its outer surface with a short section o1' leaf spring 22 which may be engaged with one of the teeth on the core retaining member I3. It will be seen that by the structure just outlined, the core catcher elements will be effectively retained and protected from the fluid in the well until the core actually rises into the core barrel.

At its upper end the sleeve I9 is provided with a head 20 secured therein by suitable means such as by welding and serving to close the passage therethrough. Sealing rings 2I are also provided on the sleeve I 8 to form a uid tight contact with the interior of the fitting IIJ. The sleeve I9 and its cooperating parts thus form a fluid tight plug for the lower end of the core barrel when in the position shown in Fig. 2.

At its upper end, the core barrel 9 is provided with a valve tting 23 having an opening therethrough. Intermediate its ends, this opening is interrupted/by a partition 24 having smaller openings 25 therethrough, At its lower end, a seat 26 is provided for a ball valve 21, this seat being held in position within the fitting 23 by means of a nut 28 or the like. Similarly, at its upper end, the fitting 23 is provided with a seat member 29 for a ball valve 3D, this'seat member being held in position by a nut 3l. The nut 3| adjacent its lower end is provided with lateral openings 32 which are adapted to substantially register with the lateral openings 33 through the wall of the valve fitting.

The nut 28 is hollow so that liquid may pass freely therethrough. The nut 3I, however, has an opening through its upper end of only sufilcient size to receive the plunger 34, which has a. nut 35 on its upper end. This plunger 34 is adapted to receive a weight to be droppd in through the drill stem in the manner hereinafter described, and under the influence of such weight to move downwardly and unseat the ball valve 30 against the tension of the spring 36 so that liquid may ilow upwardly through the nut 28. past the valve 21, through the openings 25 and out through the openings 32 and 33.

The core barrel is supported within the drill collar upon the sleeve II. which in turn rests at its lower end upon a shoulder 31 within the bit head I. 'I'he core barrel is held against upward movement by laterally extending lugs 38 in engagement with the lower end of the member 1. It is held in alignment at its upper end by means of the laterally extending guide lugs At its upper end the drill collar 8 is externally threaded to receive the lower end of a collar 4D, this joint preferably being welded so as to integrally join these parts. The section 4I of the drill stem is threadedly engaged within the upper end of the collar 4U.

In the operation of the device the sleeve I9 is positioned within the lower end of the core barrel as shown and the core barrel may be illled with water or some other suitable liquid, preferably, however, with a fluid which will resist corrosion of the core barrel. The barrel is then closed at its lower end by the sleeve I9 and its head 20 and at its upper end by the valves 21 and 30, and is full of a clear fluid. No mud or debris can enter the bottom because of the sleeve I9 and head 20 and this sleeve cannot be moved upwardly into the core barrel because the barrel is full of fluid which is prevented from escaping therefrom by the valve 30. No mud canenter the top because of the valve 21. Consequently, the core barrel may be lowered into the well without contamination.

When the bottom of the well has been reached, a weight is then dropped in through the drill stem to cause the plunger 34 to move downwardly and unseat the valve 30 after which fluid may pass upwardly from the core barrel through the valves 21 and 30. The coring is then'started and as the core moves upwardly into the core barrel it pushes the sleeve member I9 upwardly until the top of the core barrel is reached, This, of course, releases the core catchers and retainers for operation, and when the core has been cut it can be removed from the well in the customary manner. It will be noted that after a short initial movement, the sealing means 2| will clear the fitting I of reduced diameter, and the sleeve I9 can freely travel up in the core barrel.

It will be further appreciated that various changes and modifications may be made in the parts illustrated and described without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as dened in the following claims.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that there has been set forth an apparatus capable of carrying out all the objects and advantages sought by this invention as hereinbefore set forth.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1`. In a sample taking device, a core barrel havlng ,an opening adjacent its upper end, valve means for preventing outward flow through said opening, and means for sealing the lower end of said core barrel, said means being movable freely upwardly during the taking of the core.

2. In a sample taking device, a core barrel having an opening adjacent its upper end, and valve means for preventing outward flow through said opening, and a freely movable sealing plug slidably mounted in said core barrel adjacent the lower end thereof.

3. In a sample taking device, a core barrel having an opening adjacent its upper end, and an opening at its lower end, means for sealing both of said openings during the lowering of the core barrel into the well, and means for releasing at will the sealing means for the opening at the upper end of the barrel.

4. In a sample taking device, a core barrel having an opening adjacent its upper end and an opening at its lower end, means for closing both of said openings against outflow from said core barrel, and means operable at will for rendering the means for closing the upper opening ineffective.

'5. In a sample taking device, a core barrel having an opening adjacent its upper end and an opening at its lower end, means for closing said upper opening, against outflow from said core barrel, means operable at will for rendering said last mentioned means ineiective, and means slidably mounted in said core-barrel for closing said lower opening against outflow.

6. In a sample taking device, a core barrel hav` ing an opening adjacent its upper end and an opening at its lower end, means for closing said upper opening against outflow from said core barrel, means for rendering said last mentioned means ineffective when desired, means slidably mounted in said core barrel for closing said lower opening against outflow, and a filling fluid within said core barrel for preventing upward movement of said last mentioned means prior to the time that the means for closing said upper opening is rendered ineffective.

7. In a sample taking device, a core barrel having an opening adjacent its upper end and an opening at its lower end, means for closing said upper opening against outflow from said core barrel, means for rendering said last mentioned means ineffective when desired, means slidably mounted in said core barrel for closing said lower opening against outflow, and an anti-corrosive filling fluid within said core barrel for preventing upward movement of said last mentioned means prior to the time that the means for closing said upper opening is rendered ineffective.

8. In a device for closing the lower end of a corebarrel, a sleeve, packing means about the sleeve adapted to forma fluid-tight, sliding seal with the walls of the core barrel at the lower end thereof, and a head closing the upper end of said sleeve.

9. In a sample taking device, a core barrel having a lower end zone of slightly reduced internal diameter, and a closure member having a slidable sealing engagement with the walls of said lower end zone of reduced diameter, but no sealing engagement with the barrel above said zone.

10. In a sample taking device, a core barrel having a lower end zone of slightly reduced internal diameter, a closure member having a slidable sealing engagement with the walls of said lower end zone of reduced diameter, but no sealing engagement with the barrel above said zone and means for limiting downward sliding movement of said closure member in the core barrel to prevent said closure member from falling out of `the core barrel.

1l. In a sample taking device, a core barrel having a lower end zone of slightly reduced lnternal diameter, core catcher elements disposed about said core barrel below the upper end of said end zone, a closure member having a slidable sealing engagement with the walls of said lower end zone, and means on said closure member for engaging said core catcher element to limit downward movement of said closure member.

12. In a sample taking device, a core barrel having a lower end zone of an internal diameter slightly smaller than the remainder of said barrel, core catcher elements disposed about said core barrel below the upper end of said end zone. anda closure member having slidable sealing engagement with the walls of said lower end zone, and having a part normally overlying said core catcher elements to protect the same from becoming clogged with drilling fluid and debris during the lowering of the core barrel into a well.

13. In a sample taking device, a core barrel having a lower end zone of an internal diameter slightly less than the remainder of said barrel, core catcher elements disposed about said core barrel below the upper end Aof said end zone, and a closure member having a slidable sealing engagement with the Walls of said lower end zone,

said closure member comprising a sleeve having a part overlying said core catcher elements to protect them from becoming clogged with drilling fluid and debris as the core barrel is lowered into a well, a head for closing the passage through fsaid sleeve, and sealing means upon said sleeve forming a sealing engagement with the walls of said lower end zone.

14. In a method of lowering a core barrel into a well, the steps of filling said core barrel with liquid, positively sealing the upper and lower ends of said core barrel against outflow therefrom, lowering said core barrel into the well, opening the upper end of said core barrel to permit outflow therefrom so that said liquid may be exhausted from the core barrel during the taking of thecore, and taking a substantially solid core.

15. In a method of lowering a. core barrel into a well, the steps of filling said core barrel with an anti-corrosive, substantially incompressible uid, positively sealing the upper and lower ends of said core barrel against outflow therefrom, lowering said core barrel into the well and subsequently rendering ineiective the means for sealing the upper end of said core barrel so as to permit said fluid to be exhausted from said core barrel during the taking of the core.

GEORGE G. HARRINGTN. 

